I believe that my current strengths as a student teacher right now are communication and lesson planning. I consider that am passionate and enthusiastic about Science and I try to set clear instructions and objectives at the beginning of class. I am always looking for new material and I am constantly looking for ways to improve my understanding of different content. I put a lot of thought into my lessons and sometimes I can be obsessive with planning but I have always been this way and I like to be organized. Lastly, I think that my background in Human Development and Family Studies gives me a true understanding of how children and adolescents learn and develop, socially, emotionally, and physically. I would like to learn more about class management and time management at this point. Recently, I have read that this is a concern for a lot of first year teachers. I have so many ideas and not enough time in the day to complete them. Also, I struggle to find the happy medium when a class gets into an in depth discussion about a topic that’s irrelevant to the lesson, but that they are genuinely concerned with and staying on task with the lesson that I planned. If students are learning from a whole class discussion do you help them make connections and explore different ideas, or do you stop them to get back on track? Do you risk them learning something, even though it’s inappropriate to the lesson, in order to stay on task? Is “something” understood better than “nothing” learned? I have this debate all the time but I see both the positives and negatives. I have always learned best “visually” or by doing activities “hands on”. I understand that although this learning style works for me that it may not be the best way for my students to learn. I try to incorporate a little of everything when explaining a concept, whether it may be a video segment, an activity, Jigsaw, real life application, reading, or discussion. I am interested in my own development and learning as a teacher. I understand how important it is to monitor, reflect on, evaluate, plan, and take responsibility for my own learning. This year I would like to obtain a job as a Science teacher in either a middle school or high school in Rhode Island. In the future, I would like to finish the MATCP program at URI. If this does not happen I can see myself as a substitute teacher for a while. This is an important goal for me because I have been in college since 2001. I made the wrong career choice at first. I did not settle for it and just “suck it up”; I realized what I would really like to be doing. I believe that my advisor, professors, cooperating teachers, and my family can help motivate and support me until I reach this goal. To help me grow into a better teacher and help me to better understand learning I will consider using different tools for personal development.I will be taking more college courses to better understand this complex world of teaching. I can read books and journals on Science, research different teaching methods, “shadow” other teachers, and/or use computer based instruction to expand my learning. Through ongoing learning and continuous improvement I hope to obtain my goal.
I would like to learn more about class management and time management at this point. Recently, I have read that this is a concern for a lot of first year teachers. I have so many ideas and not enough time in the day to complete them. Also, I struggle to find the happy medium when a class gets into an in depth discussion about a topic that’s irrelevant to the lesson, but that they are genuinely concerned with and staying on task with the lesson that I planned. If students are learning from a whole class discussion do you help them make connections and explore different ideas, or do you stop them to get back on track? Do you risk them learning something, even though it’s inappropriate to the lesson, in order to stay on task? Is “something” understood better than “nothing” learned? I have this debate all the time but I see both the positives and negatives.
I have always learned best “visually” or by doing activities “hands on”. I understand that although this learning style works for me that it may not be the best way for my students to learn. I try to incorporate a little of everything when explaining a concept, whether it may be a video segment, an activity, Jigsaw, real life application, reading, or discussion.
I am interested in my own development and learning as a teacher. I understand how important it is to monitor, reflect on, evaluate, plan, and take responsibility for my own learning. This year I would like to obtain a job as a Science teacher in either a middle school or high school in Rhode Island. In the future, I would like to finish the MATCP program at URI. If this does not happen I can see myself as a substitute teacher for a while. This is an important goal for me because I have been in college since 2001. I made the wrong career choice at first. I did not settle for it and just “suck it up”; I realized what I would really like to be doing. I believe that my advisor, professors, cooperating teachers, and my family can help motivate and support me until I reach this goal.
To help me grow into a better teacher and help me to better understand learning I will consider using different tools for personal development.I will be taking more college courses to better understand this complex world of teaching. I can read books and journals on Science, research different teaching methods, “shadow” other teachers, and/or use computer based instruction to expand my learning. Through ongoing learning and continuous improvement I hope to obtain my goal.